Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-04-29
ELOQUENT LAMAR.
The Secretary's "Greatest Effort at
the dwelling of the CAL
hOun Monument.
Contrast of Relationship Between the
Federal and State Governments
in 1889 and 1861.
The Reason and Justice of Final Fed
eral Supremacy Over States
Rights Doctrine.
A Great Event For the South.


CHARLESTON, s. c., April 26.-The cele-
bration of the unveiling of the statue to
John c. Calhoun in this city to-day was
an event to which the people of the state
have looked forward for many years,
and large numbers came from every part
OF the state. The entire population Of the
city turned out en- masse. The number of
men in ranks in the various military and
civic organizations was 5000. The line of
march extended from the battery up Need
ing street to Marion square. the site of the
statue. The number of spectators was not
less than 10000, and the crowd that gath
cred around the statue was but little less.
There was liberal display of bunting, the
United States flag occupying conspicu-
Gus place in the column, on houses, and in
the speakers stand. The statue was
drapediby both state and national colors
which were drawn away by little chill
dren, while thirty-fve young misses stood
as sponsors. Most of them are relatives of
Mr.. Calhoun. The principal event of the
programme was the Grafton by Secretary
Lamar, which occupied two hours in de-
livery and awakened much applause.
After reviewing and eulogizing the life
of Calhoun, Mr.. Lamar in the course of his
Grafton spoke as follows of the gradual
supremacy of the federal government over
states rights:
In the early history of our republic two
different powers were in the presence of
each other-the principle of local state SOW
erelgnty and that of national union. Al
though both of these powers were to be
found in the embryo of our political sys-
tenn, they existed IN confusion and without
precise legal definition, each having claims
to urge and facts to allege in support of its
principle of state sovereignty was the
first brought into operation, and therefore
preceded the other in legal recognition and
actual predOminance. Previous to the
Declaration of independence the colonies
were each distinct political community;
each had its own separate political organi-
zatiOn, the legislation Of which extended
no farther than it's own territorial limits.
The only political bond which held them
in political union was the sovereignty of
the British nation. When they threw that
0tf, the states had no common government.
whole disappeared and ceased to exist, at
least in visible and legal embodiment of
organized power, and passed into the sew
eral states, which had become each inde-
pendent and sovereign in its own right
The constitution was framed by delegates
elected by the legislatures. 1t was the
work of the sovereign states, as independ-
ent, separate communities. 1t was ratified
by conventions of these separate states,
each acting for itself. By this constitution
certain well-defned and specified powers
were delegated to the federal government:
hl1t II c1xrH thof tbo
not herein delegated to the United States
by the constitution. nor prohibited to the
states, are reserved to the states respect
lively, or to the people,
Now, although the Declaration of In
dependence and the articles of confedera-
States were all based upon the assumption
OF the independence and sovereignty of
the several States, yet in point of historical
fact the inhabitants of the American
colonies, both before and after independ-
ence. were, in many important respects,
polotic, were one people in being subject
to the authority Of the British sovereign:
they were one people as beng subject in
their civil and social relations to the COM
mon law of England; they were one people
respecting their rights as Englishmen,
planted by their cradles in the infancy of
colonial existence; they were one people
in language, in blood, in manners, and
especially in being subjected to common
oppression and thrilled by the intrinsic
glory of noble cause into unity of
American patriotism. Although these
facts may not be found in State papers and
records of legislation, they shot their roots
deep into the thought, the belief and the in
stlnct OF the great mass of the people
sometimes found expression in public doc
uments; for instance: "When in the
course of human events it becomes neces-
sary for one people to dissolve,'' etc. etc.
After the adoption of the constitution,
the moral, social, and material forces
which have always been more powerful In
moulding the institutions, in determining
the destinies of nations than external legal
forms, combined to increase the power and
magnify the importance of the general
government of the union, at the expense of
that of the particular government of the
states. When independence was first
achieved the original states lay stretched
along the Atlantic coast, sparsely peopled,
separated by vast wildernesses, with no
means of internal communication and
trade, except by stages. pack horses and
sumpter-muleS on land, and fiatboats, RATS
and bateaus Oh the water. Since then, the
locomotive and the steamboat not only an
nihilate distance, but, "like enormous
shuttle-cOcks, shoot across the thousand
various thread" of disconnected sections,
localities, interests. and Influences, and
bind them into a web, while the electric
telegraph transmits 10 every part of the
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